Consequently, the angle between the northern horizon and Polaris is equal to the observer's latitude. Polaris lies roughly one half degree from the NCP, so this particular star appears to remain stationary hour after hour and night after night.īecause the earth is spherical, the position of Polaris relative to the horizon depends on the location of the observer.
As the earth rotates on its axis (once every 24 hours), the stars in the northern sky appear to revolve around the NCP. The point in the night sky where the projection of the earth's axis lies is known as the North Celestial Pole (NCP). As viewed by observers in the Northern Hemisphere, Polaris occupies a special place. The North Star, or Polaris, is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, the little bear (also known as the Little Dipper). A STAR MAP shows the relative position of Polaris in Ursa Minor.
